Meter casing



June 10, 1930.

R. T. MERGE:

METER cAsING` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14,- 1928 Figi.

'3 '4 lNvENToR FGYmro nd 'E Pierce ATTORNEY June-10,1930.- y R T,P|ERE 1,763,178

y METER cAsING Filed Feb. 14, 1928 2.SheetS-Sheel: 2

Figs.

INVENTOR Raymond T Fierce ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1930 UITED STATES PAT ELNT! OFFICE RAYMOND r. PIERCE, E MILLBUnN, NEW JERSEY, ,AsSIeNoE fro ,wEsTINenniIsE ELECTRIC a MANUFACTURING coiyIPANY, A CORPORATION QE PENNSYLVANIA .METER GASING Application filed February 14, 1928. Serial No. 254,244.

My invention relates to casings ofthe type utilized for housing or enclosing the loperating mechanism of an electrical meter or measuring instrument. y

" 1n accordance with my invention, a .casing of the character described comprises a plurality of compartments, one of which vis provided withventilating passages for the dissemination offheat generated by a resistance l structure carried by a plate or panel formingr the wall structure of said one of said comf partments. i

Further in vaccordance with my invention, the operating mechanism of a meter is carried 1.5 by a plate or member detachably related to a second plate or member carried by the base of a meter casing.

My invention resides in the arrangement and features of construction of the character 2'3 hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of one of the forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a meter casing and associated apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; i

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, with parts broken away of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of the casing shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings there 1s illustrated a casing or container C which comprises a bottom member 1, side members 2 and 2a, a front member 3, a rearmembei1 4, and a top member or cover 5. Ordinarily, all of the aforesaid members with the eX- ception of the rear member 4 are formed from wood while said member 4 is formed, preferably, from a phenol condensation product such, for example, as that known to the trade as micarta.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the side member 2, interiorly of casing C, has a plurality of members or strips 6, 7 and 8 suitably secured thereto, as by screws 9. The strips 6 and 8 extend at right angles to the bottom member 1 while the strip 7 extends parallel with respect thereto. Ina similar manner, but not i shown herein,.there is secured to the side member 2a, at .-the rear of the casing, va plus rality of members similar tothe strips 6,7 and 8. l

Suitablysecured tothe stripA 6 on .member 2 Aandto theA corresponding strip, not shown, on member 2a isa wall or partition 10formed preferably of micarta. Resting onthe Vends of the strips 6 and 8,.and on the strip 7 ,"Fig. 3, is a .plate or member 11 likewise formed preferably of micarta. Although not shown herein, it shall be understood that plate .11 is supported in a similar manner adjacent the member 260, bythe strips carried thereby which correspond with the strips. 6, 7 and 8. If desired, layers.12 of felt, or thev like, may be disposed between .the plate 11 and its supporting surfaces. The .rear member 4, Fig. 3 is provided with a flanged recess receiving the end of plate 11. `lZVith the parts in assembled relation, member4 occupies. the position illustrated in Fig. A3 and is held in that position by screws, or thelike, not shown, threaded into the strip 8 and the other strip, not shown, corresponding therewith and carried by side member 2a. The wall 10 and plate 11 .divide the. casing into two compartments or chambers A and A1 utilizable as hereinafter described.

Suitably secured to the` bottommember 1 within the compartment A1 is a plate' or mem ber 13, Fig. `2, provided with threaded per forations receiving, respectively, screws 14 for securing a plate or member 15 to the plate 13. Member 15 serves as a support-for suitable mechanism for metering or measuring an electrical quantity, such for example, .as current, electromotive force, or electrical power. the quantity to be metered or measured, the aforesaid mechanism `may be any one ofthe types illustratedand described in U. S. Letters Patent to'MacGahan et al. No. 1,522,7 36.

`By way of example andfor purposesof illustration', the plate 15. is shown as supporting metering or kmeasuring mechanism M which comprises la chamber 16 containing a suitable damping vane, not shown, secured to an voscillatory shaft 17. `Thecover of cham- Dependent upon the character of ber 16 is slotted for the reception of a plurality of posts or members 18a, 18?), secured to the wall structure of said chamber 16 by screws 18. Posts 18a and 182) exten-d vertically, F ig 2, and are spanned by a plate or member 19 secured to said posts 18al and 185 by screws 20 or the like. Plate'19 comprises a bearing 21 for one end of the shaft 17, the other end of which is supported in a bearing 22 disposed interiorly of chamber 16. Secured to the shaft 17 are the usual rotationrestraining springs 23, a pointer or deiiecting member 24 and a vane or, as shown, a coil or winding 25. VCoacting with the movable coil 25 are the fixed coils 26 secured to the posts 18a and 18?) by members 27 clamped in position by bolts 28. The aforesaid mechanism comprising the fixed and movable windings 25 and 26 may be enclosed by a magnetic shield 29 formed of a stack or group of magnetizable members carried by the plate 15.

The posts 18ct and 18?) at their upper portions, as viewed in Fig. 2, are provided respectively with threaded holes receiving respectively, screws 30 for holding in position resilient stop members 3l which coact with the pointer 24 to prevent undue oscillation thereof. It will be noted that portions of the members 31 extend along and converge toward pointer 24. As a result, should said pointer 24 be moved counter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1, the resistance offered to such movement of said pointer 24 steadily increases.

An arrangement of the character described above is especially desirable inasmuch as a single plate 15 is utilized as the support for the operating mechanism of the meter. Obviously, the plate 15 and the thereby-supported mechanism may be readily removed from the compartment A1 or placed in position therein, the accessible screws 14 conveniently serving to retain said plate 15 in its proper location.

Coacting with the delecting member 24 is a suitably calibrated scale 32 formed, preferably with an arcuate slot 33 exposing a portion of a mirror-like surface or member 34 disposed on the side of member 32 removed from the deflecting member 24. The scale 32 and member 34 are held in position adjacent the cover 5 by any suitable arrangement. For example, a screw 35 may be passed through aligned openings in the scale 32 and member 34 and threaded into the strip 7, Fig. 3. Similarly, another screw may be utilized for holding scale 32 and member 34 in engagement with the strip carried by side member 2a corresponding in configuration and position with the aforesaid strip 7. Ordinarily, these same screws 35 are utilized for holding the plate or member 11 in the position shown.

The rear member 4 of the casing O serves as a panel or support for a plurality of binding posts or terminal members 36 and for one or mor-e resistance structures 37, Fig. 3. The wall or partition 10 also supports a plurality of binding posts or terminals 38. Conductors, not shown, extend from the meter windings to the sides of the binding posts 38 disposed in the compartment A1. Other conductors, not shown, extend from the sides of binding posts 38 in the compartment A to the sides of the binding posts 36 in the same compartment. r1`hese connections are so arranged that by proper association of the line conductors with the binding posts 36 exteriorly of the compartment A, the device may be utilized as an ammeter, voltmeter, or wattmeter, as desired.

The resistance structures 37 comprise stacks of units, each comprising a coil or winding of a suitable resistance conductor disposed on a card 37a. As is well understood in the art, the aforesaid structures 37 are utilizable for changing the resistance characteristics of the Winding or windings of the meter-operating mechanism traversed by a current proportional to the voltage across an electrical circuit. Ordinarily, said structures 37 are so designed that the resistance units may be added, removed, or otherwise manipulated to suitably vary the resistance of the circuit traversed by a current proportional to the voltage across the electrical circuit.

When said structures 37 are utilized as described, heat is generated and, for the proper dissemination thereof, it is desirable that the compartment A be provided with ventilating passages as illustrated. To this end, the bottom member 1 may be apertured as indicated at 39, Fig. 3, a perforated sheet 40, preferably metallic in character, partially closing the space defined by said aperture. The side member 2 may also be formed with an aperture which is covered by a perforated plate 41 and the side member 2a should be similarly apertured and provided with a cover plate, not shown.

The rear member or panel 4, ordinarily, is secured in the position illustrated in Fig. 3 by screws or the like, not shown, extending through said member and threaded into the strips 8. The conductors extending between the terminals 36 and 38 should be somewhat slack so that, without disturbance to the previously established connections, the panel 4 may be removed from the members 1, 2 and 2a to adjust the resistance structures 37. The compartments A and A, are separate and, accordingly, an operation of the character just described may be performed without disturbing the operating mechanism of the meter.

The cover 5 is provided with the usual hinged member 42 maintained in closed position by a suitable clasp 43. As is well understood, the member 42 may be swung counterclockwise, Fig. 3, to expose the scale 32 and its coacting pointer 24 to view.

fit

Carried by the wall structure of casing C, for example, by side member 2a is a switching mechanism S which, in the example illustrated, corresponds with the mechanism described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 254,245, filed February 14, 1928, and is utilizable for -disposing the operating coils of the meter-operati ng mechanism either in parallel or series relation.

The above-mentioned copending application has particular reference to a switching mechanism or structure for changing the relation to each other of a plurality of electrically operated devices, such as meter coils. In accordance with that invention, a plurality of electrically operated meter windings are changed from series to parallel relation, or vice versa, while preserving a conductive connection therewith of an electrical circuit with which said windings are associated by means of an oscillatory disc formed of insulating material, opposite faces thereof having a plurality of spaced conductive segments or plates secured thereto, and biased in opposite directions by sets of conductive members.

Likewise carried by the casing C, for eX- ample, by the side member 2 and cover member 5 -is a second switching mechanism S1, which, in the example illustrated, corresponds with mechanism described and claimed in my copending application, `Serial No. 254,246, filed February 14, 1928, and is utilizable for breaking and establishing a conductive connection between one or more coils of the meter-operating mechanism and the circuit with which said coil or coils is or are associated.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a meter casing comprising a plurality of compartments, of meter-operating mechanism in one of said compartments, resistance structure in another of said compartments, the wall structure of said other of said compartments being perforated and having a detachable member by which said resistance structure is carried, and a plurality of terminals carried by said detachable member. I

2. The combination with a meter casing comprising a plurality of compartments, ofV

meter-operating mechanism in one of said compartments, resistance structure in another of said compartments, the wall structure of said other of said compartments being perforated and having a detachable member of insulating material by which said resistance structure is carried, and a plurality of terminals carried by said detachable member.

3. The combination with a meter casing comprising a plurality of compartments, of Y meter-operating mechanism in one of said compartments, the wall structure of another of said compartments being formed with a plurality of apertures and having a detachable member, perforated plates covering said ary 1928.

RAYMOND T. PIERCE. 

